velocità Italian · revision 38830

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1304–1308, Dante|origins=la vēlōx}}

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+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ve.lo.t͡ʃiˈta/^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Forms==

+ '''velocità''' ''f'' (invariable)^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|vēlōcitās|t=speed]], a learned word, from the accusative [[m|la|vēlōcitās|alt=vēlōcitātem]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)^(GDLI)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026) The Latin noun is derived from [[m|la|vēlōx|t=swift, quick]] with the suffix [[m|la|-tās]], and Italian has the adjective as [[veloce]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(OLD 2012)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) Old Italian also had the full forms [[roa-oit|velocitade]] and [[roa-oit|velocitate]].^(DELI 1999)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

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+ De Vaan suggests that [[m|la|vēlōx]] meant “wind-like”, from a noun [[itc-pro|*wēlo-|t=wind]] built on the root [[ine-pro|*h₂weh₁-|t=to blow]], the root of [[m|la|ventus|t=wind]]; he notes that Italic has no present verb from this root, so the noun would be a very old derivative.^(de Vaan 2008)

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+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Dante uses ''velocitade'' once, in the ''Convivio'' (1304–1308).^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The form ''velocità'' is first found in Boccaccio (1341–1342), in the sense “swiftness”: a girl who ran so fast that she seemed to leave the winds behind.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 17th century the word became a term of physics: Galileo used it in 1638 for the ratio between the distance covered and the time taken, and his principle that a falling body grows in speed in proportion to its distance from the start.^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI) Tommaseo distinguished it from its synonyms: ''velocità'' for movement, ''celerità'' for both movement and action, ''rapidità'' for violent motion.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

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+ In motor vehicles the word has meant a gear since 1965 (''la terza velocità'').^(DELI 1999)^(Gabrielli 2020) Railway language has ''grande'' and ''piccola velocità'' for faster and slower goods transport, and ''alta velocità'' for the high-speed network.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) In athletics and cycling it names sprint races.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

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+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante uses ''velocitade''.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * 1341–1342 – Boccaccio uses ''velocità''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1638 – Galileo uses it as a term of physics.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1965 – The sense “gear” of a motor vehicle is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|speed]]: the quality of moving fast: ''La lepre scappò a gran velocità.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Quickness, promptness in doing something: speed of thought, of reflexes.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(physics)'' [[m|en|velocity]]: the ratio of distance covered to time taken, a vector quantity measured in metres per second.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # A [[m|en|gear]] of a motor vehicle: ''Metti la seconda velocità.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # ''(athletics, cycling)'' A sprint race.^(Wiktionary)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[veloce]]

+ * [[velocista]]

+ * [[velocizzare]]

+ * [[la|velox]]

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+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases include ''a tutta velocità'' (at full speed), ''prendere velocità'' (to speed up), ''limite di velocità'' (speed limit) and ''velocità di crociera'' (cruising speed).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Gabrielli 2020)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}